Help is my bubble tip dying

[Jakewoods]

15 hours ago, Jakewoods said:

How should I feed it the shrimp 

What test kits do you recommend and. How often what salinity tester should I get. A digital one 

[Jakewoods]

5 hours ago, Jakewoods said:

Yeah fair enough mate thanks. I’ll send some more photos over the weekend about lighting and stuff get a few more pointers would be helpful 

What test kits should I buy and what salinity checker should I get. A bit of list would be great and I’ll get it all over the weekend 

[seabass]

Arguably, everyone should at least have a nitrate and phosphate kit.  All of Salifert's kits are good enough.  However, for phosphate, I like Hanna's Phosphate Checker.

 

Knowing your levels are low, I'm tempted to recommend getting Salifert's alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium kits.  But these are mostly for reef tanks with some stony corals.  My guess is that the saltwater from your store is low in these elements.  I would consider making your own saltwater instead.

 

Some people have problems with swing-arm hydrometers, but that's primarily what I use to check specific gravity (salinity).  However, a calibrated refractometer is more accurate, and is usually what people recommend.

[Pjanssen]

How's it looking today

[Jakewoods]

1 hour ago, Pjanssen said:

How's it looking today

It’s strange he looks so sic at night but during the day not so bad. I am going to do some water tests today and I’ll post the results 

[Jakewoods]

Just now, Jakewoods said:

It’s strange he looks so sic at night but during the day not so bad. I am going to do some water tests today and I’ll post the results 

He has moved a little bit today. first time all week 

[Jakewoods]

On 8/4/2022 at 4:15 PM, seabass said:

I don't believe that you are out of the woods just yet.  It was looking pretty bad.  However, in this state, I might try to feed it some small meaty fish food (like some thawed frozen mysis shrimp).

 

I feel like it was looking its best in the following pic:

While I'm 100% sure about an ID, the above pic shows inflated tips (although not all BTAs always exhibit inflated tips).

 

We still don't know about your lighting.  Based on the pics (and it moving around), I'm guessing that your tank's lighting is probably inadequate.  Plus, it's a young tank without confirmed measurable phosphate.  Lack of nutrients could be a problem for the health of the anemone, as well as open the door for dinoflagellates.

 

I'd also feel better if you hadn't felt that your tank's water parameters were good, when they were obviously low.  What type of salt mix are you using?  The tank's parameters (besides nitrate and phosphate) should pretty much match a batch of newly mixed saltwater.

 

And I totally agree with Pjanssen, those sea stars should be re-homed.  Due to their structure, it's hard to visually assess their health.  But they will undoubtedly starve in this tank.

This is the light I have. 

[Jakewoods]

On 8/4/2022 at 5:41 AM, Tamberav said:

 

Brown algae can be different things so hard to say exactly but you want a good clean up crew of snails. Trochus snails are my favorite and you want to use RODI or distilled water for top off and for mixing salt. 

 

here is a pic of different kinds:

 

https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

What do you think about this brown algae 

[seabass]

That's a decent light.  What are the tank's dimensions?

 

From what I can see, I wouldn't be too concerned about the algae.  Looks like it could just be common film algae.

[Jakewoods]

1 minute ago, seabass said:

That's a decent light.  What are the tank's dimensions?

 

From what I can see, I wouldn't be too concerned about the algae.  Look like it could just be common film algae.

Should I be cleaning in off daily 

tank dimensions 21, 23, 20 it’s like a big cube this is my lighting routine i change the times but sometimes it changes it self back to standard like 8am sunrise 5pm sunset. 

 

Just now, Jakewoods said:

Should I be cleaning in off daily 

tank dimensions 21, 23, 20 it’s like a big cube this is my lighting routine i change the times but sometimes it changes it self back to standard like 8am sunrise 5pm sunset. 

 

 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

Holy smokes. I think we’ve figured out the source of your algae issues. I’d turn the reds down to less than 5%. On one of our tanks, I have it 0%, on our SPS dominant it’s at 5%. I would also turn down the greens (less than 5%) and whites to your liking (visually), and you can bump the blues up some if you feel like you need more light. 

[Jakewoods]

5 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

Holy smokes. I think we’ve figured out the source of your algae issues. I’d turn the reds down to less than 5%. On one of our tanks, I have it 0%, on our SPS dominant it’s at 5%. I would also turn down the greens (less than 5%) and whites to your liking (visually), and you can bump the blues up some if you feel like you need more light. 

Thank you I have no idea about this I asked my local shop about this and they said factory settings should be fine 

[Jakewoods]

His on the move today. I changed my flow direction like one user said it could help to have the flow not so pointed down 

[Jakewoods]

Water test today not so great. 

[Jakewoods]

3 minutes ago, Jakewoods said:

Water test today not so great. 

Same water same testing machine two different readings. 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

I’ll try to remember to grab screen shots of the schedules on our tanks that have AI’s on them, and post them here to give you some ideas/something to work off of. 
 

I’m glad to see your anemone is inflating again regularly. I do have a BTA in a box that will deflate completely, at the end of the day, but he’s always reinflated the next morning. He’s in a box, that’s at the top of the water line, so I wonder if that’s a behavior when they get too much light. 
 

I don’t think those testing machines are very accurate. I’d probably invest in a nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity testers (I like the Hanna for phosphate and all, and NYOS is pretty good for nitrate).  

[Jakewoods]

46 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

I’ll try to remember to grab screen shots of the schedules on our tanks that have AI’s on them, and post them here to give you some ideas/something to work off of. 
 

I’m glad to see your anemone is inflating again regularly. I do have a BTA in a box that will deflate completely, at the end of the day, but he’s always reinflated the next morning. He’s in a box, that’s at the top of the water line, so I wonder if that’s a behavior when they get too much light. 
 

I don’t think those testing machines are very accurate. I’d probably invest in a nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity testers (I like the Hanna for phosphate and all, and NYOS is pretty good for nitrate).  

Yeah I don’t think they are very good. I bought some test kits. Should I be dosing phosphate do you think. My calcium is low so I have dos that and alk as well I have given him some food today so see how he goes. 

[Jakewoods]

1 minute ago, Jakewoods said:

Yeah I don’t think they are very good. I bought some test kits. Should I be dosing phosphate do you think. My calcium is low so I have dos that and alk as well I have given him some food today so see how he goes. 

Yeah that would be good if you could send that give me a bit more of an idea what I should be doing 

[Jakewoods]

23 minutes ago, Jakewoods said:

Yeah that would be good if you could send that give me a bit more of an idea what I should be doing 

He doesn’t seem to want any food I tried to feed him but doesn’t seem keen on. He holds onto it for a bit but then let’s it go 

[seabass]

Looking at your full tank pic, I don't see stony corals that would consume these elements.  Instead of dosing alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium (or even buying test kits for these elements), I'd start making my own saltwater.  Water changes will slowly help move your parameters towards the new saltwater levels.  Use distilled water if you don't have access to RO/DI.

 

Depending on the results of the phosphate and nitrate tests, you might have to dose one or both of these.  This will benefit all photosynthetic life in your tank, including algae.  I might shoot for 0.05ppm of phosphate, and 5ppm nitrate.  Don't dose if over these levels.  But higher levels are usually better than lower levels.

 

What are you trying to feed it?

 

[Jakewoods]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Looking at your full tank pic, I don't see stony corals that would consume these elements.  Instead of dosing alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium (or even buying test kits for these elements), I'd start making my own saltwater.  Water changes will slowly help move your parameters towards the new saltwater levels.  Use distilled water if you don't have access to RO/DI.

 

Depending on the results of the phosphate and nitrate tests, you might have to dose one or both of these.  This will benefit all photosynthetic life in your tank, including algae.  I might shoot for 0.05ppm of phosphate, and 5ppm nitrate.  Don't dose if over these levels.  But higher levels are usually better than lower levels.

 

What are you trying to feed it?

 

Nitrate is only one and no phosphate I didn’t know you could does nitrate. Trying to feed some prawn. He has taken it before. I tried mysis shrimp but hard to get it to him. It just floats around and the clowns clean it up. I want to get some corals eventually when I can once the water is a level that will allow it. 

[seabass]

4 hours ago, Jakewoods said:

Nitrate is only one and no phosphate I didn’t know you could does nitrate.

It is 1 and 0 according to this kit.  We'll have to see if your new kits agree.  Sure, nitrate is a common fertilizer; you can dose NeoNitro from Brightwell Aquatics to add nitrate.

 

4 hours ago, Jakewoods said:

I tried mysis shrimp but hard to get it to him.

Thaw it in some tank water.  Then use a turkey baster to target feed your anemone.  Any meaty fish food should do (but stay away from pellets, as they can be hard for it to digest).

 

4 hours ago, Jakewoods said:

I want to get some corals eventually when I can once the water is a level that will allow it. 

Wait a bit longer past that.  The increase in nutrients can spur an algae bloom in a young tank like yours.  It's best to deal with these issues prior to adding corals.

 

Also, your anemone will have to settle in before you add coral.  Otherwise, the wondering nem could leave a trail of destruction.

 

[Pjanssen]

If making your own salt water seems daunting and you don't want to do it, then ask your LFS what brand of salt they are using so that you know what you are dealing with. Also, like here in Florida, many Australian shops sell natural sea water which is what I would choose. If you decide to make your own, it's likely that your LFS also sells RO/DI water.

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Pjanssen said:

many Australian shops sell natural sea water

I agree; that's likely what this is (given the relatively depressed levels compared to most salt mixes).  Jakewoods, that's not necessarily bad, even though the hobby does tend to target higher levels.

 

Reef Parameters:

	Recommended Reef Tank Parameters
	Parameter:	Recommended Reef Tank Values:	Typical Ocean Reef Values:*
	Temperature	76 to 83° F (up to 84° F)	83 to 86° F
	Salinity	34 to 35 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.026	34 to 36 ppt sg = 1.025 to 1.027
	Ammonia	Less than 0.1 ppm	Less than 0.1 ppm
	Nitrite	Less than 0.2 ppm	Below 0.0001 ppm
	Nitrate	3 to 10 ppm (up to 20 ppm)	Below 0.1 ppm
	Phosphate	0.03 to 0.10 ppm (up to 0.20 ppm)	0.005 ppm
	pH	7.8 to 8.3 (up to 8.4)	8.0 to 8.3
	Alkalinity	2.5 to 4 meq/L 7 to 11 dKH 125 to 200 ppm CaCO3 equivalents	2.5 meq/L 7 dKH 125 ppm CaCO3 equivalents
	Calcium	380 to 450 ppm	420 ppm
	Magnesium	1250 to 1350 ppm	1280 ppm
			* Ocean Values provided by Randy Holmes-Farley

 

 

If natural seawater (NSW) is a good price, and mixing your own saltwater isn't convenient or economical, then be prepared to test and dose to replace consumption of alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium.  Maintain stability trying not to drop below typical ocean values.

 

One exception to this is nutrient levels.  Ocean values are very depressed compared to recommended reef tank values.  This is due to the differences in available food, as well as the intensity of the sun.  Plus, levels remain stable, so they rarely bottom out like they can do in our tanks.

 

A salt mix would probably make dosing alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium unnecessary, at least until you start adding stony corals.

[Jakewoods]

11 hours ago, Pjanssen said:

If making your own salt water seems daunting and you don't want to do it, then ask your LFS what brand of salt they are using so that you know what you are dealing with. Also, like here in Florida, many Australian shops sell natural sea water which is what I would choose. If you decide to make your own, it's likely that your LFS also sells RO/DI water.

Yeah I’ve been buying the shops salt water and there RO water for top up. I’ll have to ask what salt they are using. There salt water seems to be ok. But I am only doing water changes every 7 days a lot of parameters fall away in that time.